Fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased straight from the farm at a growing number of farmers' markets in mid-size and larger cities. Farmers bring produce to cities
Do you feel like your neighborhood grocer offers too limited a selection of produce? Or that it isn’t fresh enough? Why not make farmer’s markets part of your shopping?
Neighborhood farmer’s markets offer a vast array of fruits and vegetables, usually picked the day before their trip to the market and sometimes earlier the same day. Most markets can please cooks who are particular about their vegetables with varieties not seen in the grocery stores. But, if you just want the makings of a well-tossed salad, farmer’s markets have something for you too.
“Farmers’ markets popularity with consumers is growing,” said Lloyd Day, administrator of the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. “Buyers enjoy fresh, locally grown produce.”
Some farmers’ markets will even accept government assistance vouchers, such as WIC, EBT and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s senior nutrition program.
The downside to farmers’ markets is that while most mid-size and larger cities have them, they aren’t on every corner just yet. Unlike grocery stores, they’re only open for a few hours of operation, usually just once a week. And many of them shut down seasonally.
The USDA reports there were 4,385 farmers’ markets in 2006, a 7 percent increase from the year before. In 2005, each of these markets took in an average of $245,000 and each farmer about $7,100. Since the markets give the farmers other marketing opportunities, about one-fourth of them make a living solely by participating in farmers’ markets.
“Farmers’ markets continue to be an increasing source of income for our nations’ farmers,” the USDA's Day said.
“Eating fresh, locally produced food improves a person's health and our community's bottom line," said Ron Sims, executive of Washington State’s King County.
To find the farmers’ market nearest you, go to www.ams.usda.gov./FarmersMarkets/. Click on the “Find a Market” tab, then enter the data it requests. Californians can also find most of their markets at the website www.cafarmersmarkets.com, which is operated by the California Federation of Certified Farmer’s Markets.
Some farmer’s markets sell nothing but produce straight from the field. Others combine their market with a variety of other booths, making them more like a glamorized swap meet. One farmer’s market where I’ve both shopped and sold features everything from Tupperware to used records alongside fresh produce, bread and honey. Many others offer live entertainment or helpful information, such as an on-site dietician, recipes and free samples.
The California Federation of Certified Farmers’ Markets offers tips for shopping at its members’ or any other farmers’ markets on its website.
